The reign goes on
South nabs 4th straight crown in double OT
Published: February 10th, 2008 01:47 AM
Last Modified: February 10th, 2008 02:51 AM
WASILLA -- Not quite five years old, the South Wolverines secured their spot in high school hockey history Saturday night.
The Wolverines became the first Class 4A hockey team to capture four straight state championships as freshman Brad Schirhorn netted the game- winner in a 4-3 double-overtime victory over south-side rival Service at Menard Memorial Arena.
"Double-overtime? I can't imagine a better way to go out," senior defenseman Trevor Allred said. "State championship man, it's unbelievable."
Who would have figured a freshman would have ended it? The Wolverines.
A game-winning maestro, Schierhorn's marker with 4:30 left in double overtime beat the underdog Cougars and sent about half of the estimated crowd of 1,900 into a four-peat frenzy.
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Brad Schierhorn of South, lower right, rifles a shot that gets past Service goalie Cody Gongora for a 4-3 South win during a second sudden-death overtime in the 4A state hockey championship game Saturday February 9, 2008 at Menard Memorial Arena in Wasilla. ERIK HILL / Anchorage Daily News |
The other half? Stunned after Service defenseman Patrick Donlan miraculously scored with 4.5 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
"This is crazy," said Schierhorn after scoring his fourth game winner of the season. "I'm pretty excited."
Of the four state championships, senior Robb Haider said this year's trophy will mystify the Wolverines (23-3-2) the most. Last week the Wolverines were flat-out embarrassed by Chugiak, losing 8-0 in the Cook Inlet Conference semifinals. It was the worst loss in program history.
"That was a bad night for us," Haider said. "We got smoked. But it was a good test to our character."
Standing near the left circle, Haider found his freshman linemate open in front of the net with a low 2-on-1. Schierhorn flipped it top-shelf over Cody Gongora's left shoulder to crush Service's hopes to win its first title since 2004.
"That's his deal," Haider said of Schierhorn, "snipping the top corner."
The Wolverines never took Service for granted, despite the Cougars finishing fifth in the conference standings. Gongora and Service's defense were hot after blanking Dimond 2-0 on Friday.
"The top half of the league could beat anybody," said South coach Mike Ashley. "The bottom half could scare the heck out of you if you didn't show up.
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South players mob freshman Brad Schierhorn after his game-winning goal sails past Service goalie Cody Gongora for a 4-3 win during a second sudden-death overtime in the 4A state hockey championship game Saturday February 9, 2008 at Menard Memorial Arena in Wasilla. Keanan Vivian of Service comforts his goalie. ERIK HILL / Anchorage Daily News |
"We got blown away against Chugiak and that could have been the end of our season. With chips on the line, they did what they needed to do."
In the first period, the Wolverines got their forechecking going. They kept the puck in Service's zone for the first four minutes, keeping Service's offense from getting into a rhythm.
South's early momentum led to Daniel Carson's goal that put the Wolverines ahead 1-0. Though only 4:10 into the game, the Wolverines looked poised.
But less than a minute later, the Cougars struck back. Ryan Kowal ignited Service when he tied the game on Logan Rounds' misfired shot.
It went wide left, but the 6-foot-2 Rounds slapped the puck hard enough for it to bounce off the boards for Kowal, who was rushing the net. South goalie Garrett Barr lunged for the deflection and missed.
Kowal handled it, though, and hammered it home to even the score with his third goal of the tournament.
"I think they know the baseboards," said Ashley. "They were using those to create offense, and they caught us napping."
Barr, a senior who took the loss during the 8-0 drubbing by Chugiak, was on a short leash. Ashley pulled him after Service pulled ahead less than two minutes later.
Ashley had another option in sophomore Josh Benton, who played 164 more minutes than Barr this season. Both had 11 wins, more than 200 saves and .920 save percentage.
Benton had a better goals against average (1.10) than Barr (1.32), and they were the Cook Inlet Conference's top two goaltenders this season.
Barr was pulled after Roy scored on a primary assist from Rounds, coming just 1:50 after from the Cougars' first goal.
"Sometimes pulling the goalie fires up the team," Ashley said.
Benton came in flashing pads in the opening minutes of the second period. He stonewalled Cody Hansen on a 1-on-1 breakaway, but Service kept control of the puck in South's zone.
Trevor Allred was called for tripping with 6:06 left, which didn't help matters for South. But that's when the Wolverines swung back.
Just 36 seconds into Service's power play, South's Connor Wright stole the puck in the neutral zone and skated the right flank.
He slapped a shot from the right circle and Gongora blocked it, flashing his right foot. But Haider was there for the rebound to pound in the game-tying goal with 7:42 left in the second.
In the closing seconds of the period, with Rounds in the penalty box for holding, South got into its cycle thanks to a one-man advantage. Carson took the point and passed it to Allred on the right wing.
Allred took a chance, shooting it just inside the blue line, and buried it with 38.7 seconds left.
Service looked fatigued in the third period, generating just five shots on goal. But just when the Wolverines thought they had the fourth straight state title bagged, Donlan provided Service the miracle shot.
After South called a timeout with 32.5 left in regulation, Service's Brandon Stanfill trapped the puck along the right boards. An opening cleared and Stanfill rifled a shot at the net.
Benton deflected it off his stick. Donlan, however, stood in front of the net for the redirection and sent the game into overtime with 4.3 seconds left.
"(South) kind of stood there and watched us, and it cost them," Service coach Brush Christiansen said.
But Schierhorn's game winner in double overtime left the Cougars stunned and the Wolverines smiling.
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"I'm so proud of these guys," Haider said.
Find Kevin Klott online at adn.com/contact/kklott or call 257-4335.
South 1 2 0 0 1 -- 4
Service 2 0 1 0 0 -- 3
First Period -- 1, South, Carson (Allred, Schierhorn), 4:10. 2, Service, Kowal (Roy), 5:25. 3, Service, Roy (Rounds, Donlan), 7:15. Penalties -- South 0 for 0; Service 1 for 2.
Second Period -- 4, South, Haider (Wright), 7:42 (sh). 5, South, Allred (Carson), 14:22. Penalties -- South 2 for 4; Service 1 for 2.
Third Period -- 6, Service, Donlan (Stanfill), 14:56. Penalties -- South 1 for 2; Service 1 for 2.
First Overtime -- None. Penalties -- Servive 1 for 2; South 1 for 2.
Second Overtime -- 7, South, Schierhorn (Haider, Rall), 3:30. Penalties -- Servive 0 for 0; South 0 for 0.
Goalies -- Service, Gongora 4-7-8-9-3--22; South, Barr 2-x-x--2, Benton 2-3-5-3-1--16.
Large-schools all-tournament team
Forwards -- Dane Wilson, Wasilla, Erik Cooper, Dimond, Scott Wamzganz, Dimond, Ryan Kowal, Service, Kory Roy, Service, Robb Haider, South.
Defensemen -- Bryan Gunderson, Lathrop, Patrick Donlan, Service, Trevor Allred, South, Brad Schierhorn, South.
Goalies -- Cody Gongora, Service, Josh Benton, South.
Academic award -- Wasilla, 3.0 GPA.
Sportsmanship award -- Lathrop.
